Results 14,141-14,160 of 14,706 for speaker:Phil Hogan

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Water Charges Introduction (1 May 2014)

Phil Hogan: It is a commercial semi-State body. The board makes those decisions.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Litter Pollution (1 May 2014)

Phil Hogan: The Litter Pollution Acts 1997 to 2009 provide the statutory framework to combat littering and include provisions relating to dog fouling.  Under the Acts, the primary management and enforcement response to littering, including the provision of dog waste bags in public places, is a matter for local authorities. It is a matter for each local authority, including the Deputy's councillor...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Litter Pollution (1 May 2014)

Phil Hogan: And cats.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Litter Pollution (1 May 2014)

Phil Hogan: I hope the excellent councillor the Deputy mentions will do his job and prioritise the resources that are already in place in Dublin City Council to do the job the Deputy referred to in his question regarding dog fouling. It is a very important issue and it is a nuisance for people. There is a responsibility on certain individuals. There are already many enforcement measures in the Litter...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Litter Pollution (1 May 2014)

Phil Hogan: The money is available to do this. It is given to the local authorities each year. It is a question of ensuring that the councillor's voice is a little louder with his colleagues on Dublin City Council to ensure that this issue is dealt with.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Local and Community Development Programme Planning (1 May 2014)

Phil Hogan: My Department’s local and community development programme, LCDP, is the largest social inclusion intervention of its kind in the State. The current programme officially ended at the end of 2013, having operated for four years with funding of €281 million over that period. It is being implemented by the local development companies on a transitional basis for 2014 with a budget...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Local and Community Development Programme Planning (1 May 2014)

Phil Hogan: As the Deputy knows, the alignment process between local authorities, my Department and the local community development groups has been ongoing for 18 months. It is not making as much progress as it should, because of the procrastination of certain people who do not want change. The local development companies decided two weeks ago to withdraw from the process. They changed their minds...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Local and Community Development Programme Planning (1 May 2014)

Phil Hogan: The whole purpose of delivering these programmes is to reduce the level of administration as well as delivering the programmes. In 2013, the average administrative cost of delivering programmes through the LCDP has been 29%. Of €47 million allocated, some €14 million went in administration which is far too high. The structures of delivery will be assessed by the LCDC arising...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Illegal Waste Dumping (1 May 2014)

Phil Hogan: Enforcement action against illegal waste activity is a matter for the local authorities and the Office of Environmental Enforcement, OEE, of the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA. The Minister's role is to provide the legislative and policy framework under which both local authority and EPA enforcement action against illegal dumping is initiated. My Department provides financial support...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Illegal Waste Dumping (1 May 2014)

Phil Hogan: I agree with Deputy McGrath that many people act irresponsibly by dumping waste. All the Department can do is provide money to local authorities which must then provide additional resources if they wish to prioritise the issue in order to ensure that places are clean. I agree with the Deputy that illegal dumping is unacceptable. Small shopkeepers, in particular, are paying commercial rates...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Illegal Waste Dumping (1 May 2014)

Phil Hogan: I am changing the legislation.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Illegal Waste Dumping (1 May 2014)

Phil Hogan: There are currently on-the-spot fines of €150 for various offences, but I will extend that to fly-tipping. There is a maximum fine of €3,000 on summary conviction and a maximum fine of €130,000 on conviction and indictment.

Other Questions: Water Charges Introduction (1 May 2014)

Phil Hogan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 9, 15, 25 and 29 together. As the Deputy knows, the programme for Government sets out a commitment to introduce water charges based on usage above a free allowance. The Government considers that charging based on usage is the fairest way to charge for water and it has, therefore, decided that water meters should be installed in households connected to...

Other Questions: Water Charges Introduction (1 May 2014)

Phil Hogan: An in-house study is being carried out by the engineering staff in my Department and Irish Water to see what can be done about particular categories of apartments and shared service connections and about how we can actually meter those properties more quickly than we anticipated. We are expecting to be able to meter some of those properties in 2015. Arising from the survey carried out by...

Other Questions: Water Charges Introduction (1 May 2014)

Phil Hogan: It is not more expenditure.

Other Questions: Water Charges Introduction (1 May 2014)

Phil Hogan: If the Deputy wants to tell lies about what I said, he can do so.

Other Questions: Water Charges Introduction (1 May 2014)

Phil Hogan: There is no need for further consultants to do this work. It is an in-house job involving Irish Water and the Department. This is what we will do. For the Deputy's information, we spent €12 million on consultants and not €85 million. One needs hardware and software to establish a new business.

Other Questions: Water Charges Introduction (1 May 2014)

Phil Hogan: If the Deputy wants to believe his own rhetoric, that is fine. We have already made savings of €120 million with regard to setting up the new entity compared to the traditional model of delivering water. We will have one entity rather than 34 local authorities. In time, people will see that the savings we make will be put into the provision of essential water supplies in a better...

Other Questions: Water Charges Introduction (1 May 2014)

Phil Hogan: -----and he is on record as being in favour of water charges, which I welcome.

Other Questions: Water Charges Introduction (1 May 2014)

Phil Hogan: To answer the last question first, if Deputy Wallace can bring to my attention any specific examples in which subcontractors are not paying the proper rate I will be glad to investigate them. It will require €10 billion over the next 12 years to repair the leaking system we have. There has been under-investment over the years. A total of €120 million will be spent between...